Duke University Top Questions

Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

Ahmed

My school provides me with numerous resources to use as I see fit while also counseling me through tough decisions in an effort to prepare me as a knowledgeable citizen of the present and future society.

Kaylin

Duke is a school with a tight knit community that accepts all differnt kinds of people so that you can feel comfortable being yourself among peers who just want to learn with you.

Alex

Hogwarts. It's Gothic architecture on West Campus and Georgian Architecture on East Campus. Central campus, however, is on campus apartments that were built in the 70s. They're not the greatest housing options, but its a nice step between living in a dorm and living on your own in your own apartment paying rent Senior year. Also, if you've ever seen Dawson's Creek the College years, Joey Potter (Katie Holms) goes to Worthington College, which was filmed on Duke's West Campus. Check out some episodes to see the layout!

Josh

Duke is a tough environment that will challenge you, but one that you will appreciate as you realize the world-class opportunities you have available to you.

Elyse

Duke allowed me to escape from my small town and made me feel like I was part of something huge.

Mona

Duke is the ideal university, a place where you can party hard, study hard, and do everything in between.

Lillie

Duke has an AMAZING campus. East campus has Georgian architecture with reddish buildings and big quads that students hang out on. Baldwin Auditorium is at the back and is visible from all the main quads, and it is beautiful. The "backyard" quads are less pretty, but the dorms there have a unique community - I lived there and I loved it. West Campus has GORGEOUS gothic architecture - Duke Chapel never ceases to amaze me. One area to be improved is Central Campus, where (at least before the new house model) juniors and seniors live primarily. These reddish-brown apartments are probably the least attractive part of Duke's campus, but students find ways to make them nice or avoid living in them.

Luke

Duke is essentially divided into three parts. All of the freshmen live on East Campus, but in addition to dorms, you'll find The Marketplace (the first-year communal feeding ground) a library, iconic Baldwin auditorium, classrooms, and a gym. The style on East is Georgian, so think white columns and red brick. West Campus is for upperclassmen, and it's really the hub of Duke life. This is where you'd find the trademark Duke Chapel, Perkins Library, the Bryan Center, and a bunch of other places. The name of the game here is Gothic, so think that traditional "Ivy" look, with stone and stainglass windows and an ambient feel of academic history. Central Campus is, you guessed it, centrally located between East and West, and it's still in its growing stages. A lot of upperclassmen choose to live on Central because the apartments are generally much larger than a typical West Campus dorm, typically stocked with a living room and a kitchen. As of the last year or two, there is also a large amount of Greek life located on Central. Transportation between all 3 campuses is covered well by the Duke bus system. It takes a little getting-used-to before you become a real pro, but the buses run frequently enough that you won't have any problems. Also, the full distance between East and West is totally walkable if it's nice outside (which it is 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time. Thanks mild North Carolina weather!)

Luke

Duke is essentially divided into three parts. All of the freshmen live on East Campus, but in addition to dorms, you'll find The Marketplace (the first-year communal feeding ground) a library, iconic Baldwin auditorium, classrooms, and a gym. The style on East is Georgian, so think white columns and red brick. West Campus is for upperclassmen, and it's really the hub of Duke life. This is where you'd find the trademark Duke Chapel, Perkins Library, the Bryan Center, and a bunch of other places. The name of the game here is Gothic, so think that traditional "Ivy" look, with stone and stainglass windows and an ambient feel of academic history. Central Campus is, you guessed it, centrally located between East and West, and it's still in its growing stages. A lot of upperclassmen choose to live on Central because the apartments are generally much larger than a typical West Campus, with a living room and a kitchen. As of the last year or two, there is also a large amount of Greek life located on Central. Transportation between all 3 campuses is covered well by the Duke bus system. It takes a little getting-used-to before you become a real pro, but the buses run frequently enough that you won't have any problems. Also, the full distance between East and West is totally walkable if it's nice outside (which it is 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time. Thanks mild North Carolina weather!)

Allison

It is the perfect balance of extracurriculars and academics and supports its students 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} by providing them with challenging classes and unique out of the classroom experiences all supported by phenomenal faculty and passionate student leaders.

Marilyn

Duke is all about working hard and playing hard: students not only excel academically but also know how to have fun.

Adrianne

Work hard, play hard.

Camille

Duke offers so many opportunities, it's impossible to take advantage of them all!

Cherry

Duke is the perfect mix of hard work and challenging academics with a fun, crazy social scene and fantastic athletics that I think most people don't realize adds to Duke's overall balance of fun and work.

Brittany

Duke is a school that encourages all students to strive for excellence academically and personally.

Monique

Duke University is a place for intelligent, gifted, engaging, fun, and sociable individuals who want to be a part of a community of scholars who are dedicated to pursuing social and academic lives; Duke the perfect place for such a student.

Elisabeth

Duke is a classic high-caliber university. Most of the classes are learning intensive, taught by teachers with both education and passions. At the same time, throughout each week, there are many extra-curricular activities to become involved in. During specific times of the year, there is mass frenzy when the school sponsors campus-wide functions. For example, March Madness, LDOC, and other student celebrations. The campus is absolutely gorgeous. The only downside is that it seems like most of the people that attend Duke are all from high-income families, an average of over $350,000/yr.

Josh

A challenging, competitive, academically-rigorous place, with stunning architecture., excellent professors, and students who occupy extremes--either virtually invisible bookworms or wealthy, alcohol-fueled socialites, yet all somehow united by a love for basketball.

Tiffany

My school is beautiful, just the right size, and inspires me to pursue my dreams.

Monica

It's academically-oriented but with large emphasis on athletics also and it makes students feel like they belong there because of everything there is to do.

Josh

Tough and elite, diversified, competitive. Great sports and fierce loyalty.

Kandace

Very career-oriented, thus pushing for academic success.

Laura

Duke is a place where students take pride in their ability to outsmart each other while finishing a case of beer at the same time.

tom

On Duke's East Campus, you will encounter a dorm called "Bell Tower" which, as you might guess, comes complete with its own bell tower. Though tricky - and potentially "illegal" - to get to, the bell provides the best view on all of East Campus. But watch out for the near-by campus security...

Brent

A school that tries to be liberal arts but many of the students make it lean pre-professional, nonetheless it offers very high quality academics in many areas.

Linda

Preparation for entering society's upper class.

Justine

Duke is a school filled with pride and sunny skies.

Blake

A glimpse of class time on the Duke Quad